1989 - Madonna releases the hit Like a Prayer album, Nirvana releases their first album, Bleach, and the release of Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814.

1988 - Living Colour releases first studio album Vivid; Bon Jovi releases New Jersey, which charts five consecutive Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, the most ever for a hard rock album; Formation of the Traveling Wilburys, Death of Roy Orbison.

1987 - Michael Jackson releases the album Bad, which is the first and only album to have 5 consecutive #1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. Guns N' Roses releases Appetite for Destruction, which becomes one of the best selling debut albums ever, with 28 million copies shift whilst Def Leppard releases Hysteria, U2 release the mult-platined album The Joshua Tree with the hits: With Or Without You, I Still Haven't Found... and Where The Streets Have No Name, Whitney Houston releases her second album Whitney, which become the first album by a female artist to debut at #1, with one of the biggest hit singles of 80s I Wanna Dance With Somebody; Death of legendary record producer John H. Hammond.

1986 - Aerosmith re-records "Walk This Way" with rap group Run-DMC which blends rock and rap music, introduces rap music to a mainstream audience for the first time, and marks the beginning of the resurrection of Aerosmith's career, one of rock's most remarkable comebacks; Bon Jovi releases Slippery When Wet which stays at #1 on the Billboard 200 for 15 weeks, the longest ever for a hard rock album; Metallica releases their third album Master of Puppets; Death of Benny Goodman, Richard Manuel, Cliff Burton, Janet Jackson releases her breakthrough album Control, Madonna releases the hit album True Blue; Pixies form in Boston.

1985 - Death of Rick Nelson, Live Aid and Farm Aid benefit concerts, Whitney Houston releases her first self-titled album which becomes the most successful female debut album of all time. The famous hard rock band 'Guns N' Roses' was formed in LA, USA.

1984 - Death of Marvin Gaye, release of Bob Marley & The Wailers collection Legend, the best-selling reggae album of all time; Madonna releases "Like A Virgin" which goes Diamond Akhnaten by Philip Glass premieres in Stuttgart, Prince releases the album and film Purple Rain, Van Halen release the Diamond-certified 1984, which contains the #1 single "Jump" and becomes their last studio album to feature David Lee Roth on vocals.

1982 - Death of Thelonious Monk, Lightnin' Hopkins, Glenn Gould; Michael Jackson releases Thriller, the best-selling album of all time; Blondie disband; The compact disc is introduced. Iron Maiden release their best selling album The Number of the Beast.

1981 - MTV first airs; Death of Bob Marley. Iron Maiden release their second album Killers.

1980 - Joy Division singer Ian Curtis commits suicide,Bon Scott dies, John Lennon is murdered outside the Dakota Building in New York City, accidental death of Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, Death of Tim Hardin,Death of Vinicius de Moraes. U2 release first album: Boy. Bryan Adams release his first album: Bryan Adams. Iron Maiden release their debut self-titled album. AC/DC release Back In Black.